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A comparative study of bridge damage due to the Wenchuan, Northridge, Loma Prieta and San Fernando earthquakes

  • Tongji University
  • SUNY Buffalo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

96 Scopus citations

Abstract

A comparative study of selected bridge damage due to the Wenchuan, Northridge, Loma Prieta and San Fernando earthquakes is described in this paper. Typical ground motion effects considered include large ground fault displacement, liquefaction, landslide, and strong ground shaking. Issues related to falling spans, inadequate detailing for structural ductility and complex bridge configurations are discussed within the context of the recent seismic design codes of China and the US. A significant lesson learned from the Great Wenchuan earthquake, far beyond the opportunities to improve the seismic design provisions for bridges, is articulated.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)251-261
Number of pages11
JournalEarthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration
Volume8
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2009

Keywords

  • Bridge damage
  • Ground motion
  • Landslide
  • Liquefaction
  • Loma Prieta earthquake
  • Northridge earthquake
  • San Fernando earthquake
  • Wenchuan earthquake

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